Butternut Squash & Shiitake Spring Rolls

I love spring rolls. I love the crispness of them plus I love food that I can eat with my hands. I also like the fact that you can fill them with almost anything and they will still turn out great. Over the years I have tried many different fillings, some better than others, and there is one filling I keep returning to. The one I am talking about is made of butternut squash and shiitake mushroom. It also contains fresh ginger and sesame seeds. The taste is incredible and a bit unexpected when compared to the more traditional spring rolls. It is sweet, salty, tangy and crisp.

These Butternut Squash & Shiitake Spring rolls are served together with a soy dipping sauce flavoured with fresh cilantro, chili and lime. Spring rolls could be a great main course if served with rice but they are also nice as a side dish or a snack. The spring rolls in this recipe are baked in the oven instead of deep fried but they are still just as crisp and tasty, only less oily.

2. Cut the shiitake mushroom in smaller pieces and fry it in oil. When it starts to get colour you add 1 millilitre of salt, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Continue to fry for a minute or two and set aside.

3. Dice the butternut squash. Chop the onion, garlic and ginger. Heat oil in a pan and start frying the onion. You then add the garlic, ginger and sesame seeds. When the onion-garlic-ginger mix is soft and with nice colour you add the butternut squash and salt. Fry on low heat under lid until the squash is soft. Add the shiitake mushroom and fresh cilantro, give it a stir and remove from heat. The filling is now ready.

4. Mix cornstarch and water in a bowl and set aside. Place a spring roll wrapper in front of you so there is a point facing towards you. Put 1 1/2 tsp of filling on the lower part of the middle (the part closer to you). Pull the point over the filling and continue to roll until you reach the middle of the wrapping. You will now have a triangle with the filling down in the bottom. Fold the two bottom corners inwards and roll the spring roll the rest of the way up leaving two inches for the sealing. Brush a bit of the corn starch mixture on the last inches of the wrapping before you enclose the spring roll. Continue to build up all the spring rolls in the same way until you have used up all the filling. Brush the spring rolls lightly with oil. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the have a nice colour.

5. When the spring rolls are baking in the oven you prepare the dipping sauce. Simply mix all the ingredients, for the sauce, in a bowl and serve together with your crisp butternut squash and shiitake spring rolls. Enjoy!